Florence: “you can’t be here, you old fool. What if your brother comes back?” she asked, her eyes flashing with anger. “How did you even get in here?” she added, watching him suspiciously.
Olamide: “I have my ways.” He replied, seating on the bed beside Florence. “I have been watching the house. I doubt if he would return any time soon.” He added, placing his hand on her lap.
Florence looked at his hand and she pushed it off her body. She rose from the bed but Olamide pushed her back down. Fear flashed in her eyes then disappeared. She smiled seductively but Olamide could see the effort she put into it. He stood up from the bed and turned his back to her

Olamide: “I want 50% of my brother’s wealth and your inheritance once my brother dies.” He said.

Florence slowly crept from the bed, her eyes darting around for what to wear to cover herself. Her clothes were on a chair close to her wardrobe. She would have to come to where Olamide stood to get them. She turned to the bed and pulled the coverlet from it and wrapped it around herself.

Florence: “let’s talk about this some other time, please. I need to rest. I am just recovering from food poisoning.” She said, watching Olamide carefully.

Olamide turned to look at her then he smiled. He started towards her and she stepped back, fear in her eyes. He frowned.

Olamide: “are you scared of me?” he asked, suddenly.

She shook her head mutely, her eyes darting from him to the door. Olamide smiled then he lunged at her. Florence screamed but it is quickly cut off as he grabbed her throat in a vice-like grip. He pushed her on the bed then fell on top of her.

Florence: “please… have we not made love before. Let me rest today then we can do whatever when we meet again.” She pleaded.

Olamide: “who says I want to make love to you?” he asked, still smiling as he ripped the coverlet from her body and fondled her breast roughly.

Florence: “what do you want to do?” she asked, her voice shaking.
Olamide: “let me show you.” he replied. Without warning, he slid with force into her.

Florence screamed as the pain exploded between her legs. She had not been prepared for it. She wasn’t even turned on. She was as dry as the Sahara. She fought with him, struggled with him but he was stronger. He slammed again and again into her, his hands pinning her arms to the bed. Then she stopped fighting and just stared at him. Olamide grinned and kept on pumping in and out of her even as she bled on the bed sheet. He was at it for several more minutes before he finally came and fell on top of her.

Olamide rose slowly from Florence’s prone body, watching her watch him. Little lines of tears were slowly sliding down the side of her face. Olamide smirked and rose to his knees.

Olamide: “I want you to understand that in this enterprise of ours, you are not in charge, I am. I hope the message is clear.” He said. Florence gave no reply. He nodded; “good girl. We will finish this discussion later, let me go and finish the job.” He added then he bent and kissed her on her lips.

As soon as the door closed behind Olamide, Florence got up slowly and entered her bathroom. She stared at herself in the mirror. “Men… the three of you will die. The three of you, I swear it.” She thought to herself then she burst into tears and crumpled on the tile floor, weeping profusely.
====
As Olamide stepped out of the house, he noticed a car parked two blocks away from him. He watched the empty car for a second; it had not been there when he came in. he turned and started walking away then he saw a man walking towards him, his eyes intent on him. He stopped and turned to see another man coming towards him. The game was up, he struggled for his gun as the men brought out their guns and ordered him to surrender. He looked at the two men and smiled; “Festus will break me into pieces before killing me, if i let myself be arrested. It is better this way. I will die on my own terms” He thought.
Olamide: “Florence is a malicious bitch. Tell my brother that he has been marked for death.” He said.

One of the men stopped moving and turned to the other man as if seeking for advice. Olamide quickly raised his gun and squeezed the trigger. Two bullets slammed into him in quick succession and he stumbled to the tarred road and fell. The two policemen, for that was who they were, rushed to him and one of them kicked the gun away from his right hand. He was still alive; blood pulling on his side, and gurgling from his lips.

First detective: “where is the boy?” he asked, squatting beside him, while the other man called for an ambulance to rush down to the site of the incident.

Olamide: “which boy?” he replied, then he winced and more blood poured out of his mouth. His eyes glazed over and he was dead.
===
Festus had been with the DPO of his area, all day. He had gone back to check on Egbe once and had met Mrs. Bakare there. He had not bothered to enter; satisfied that somebody was there with her. He was still trying to come to terms with the fact that she as Desmond’s mother. Even as he sat with the DPO, with police men bustling about the station trying to make sense of Desmond’s disappearance, he was still pondering at the woman’s intentions, her plans; “did she intend to steal him from me? Did she intend to kill me and my family? Was she the one who poisoned my wife and… no…she would not have poisoned Desmond too. But what if the poison had been meant for Florence and I, then Desmond ate it by mistake? God! I am confused!” he thought to himself and held his head with both hands.

A police officer comes in and informs the DPO that they were done questioning the hospital staff and patients. They had not been able to get any witness to the boy’s movement. The DPO nodded his head and sent the man away. They had tasked different detectives on different roads of inquiry in the matter. They were still waiting for a report from the detective sent to look for Olamide.
Another policeman came in and informed the DPO of Olamide’s death. The boy had not been found yet. When Festus heard that Olamide had been caught coming out of his house with a gun. He jumped up and grabbed the policeman.

Major Festus: “my wife… what about my wife?” he asked.

Police man: “according to the detectives, she was not in the house when they got there but they found evidence of struggle on her bed. There were blood stains on the bed and on the bathroom floor. They are presently questioning the maid and the gateman, who were found in the boy’s quarters sleeping in each other’s arms. They had not seen the assailant come in and go out sir.” He replied.

Major Festus: “Jesus! What is going on? DPO please I need to find my wife. I need to…” he sighed and sat down on the chair, defeated. “I should have left the boy with his mother.” he added, then he started crying.
====
Florence had gone to a pharmacist friend of hers, immediately she regained her composure, who had given her drugs to ease the pain. She had not been able to tell the woman that she had been raped by her brother-in-law. She had been too ashamed to say it. She had taken the drugs then she had indulged on the woman’s whiskey, after which she had slept a troubled sleep.

She woke up at about 7pm and drank some more then she picked her car keys and left her friend’s place, despite, her friend pleading with her to spend the night.

Florence: “there is something I need to do. Thank you for your help.” She replied, smiling sadly, then she walked out into the night.

The traffic was heavy along the highway. People were still returning from work. She was in no hurry. What she wanted to do did not demand any time frame. Her hands drummed on the steering wheel then she tuned on the radio. She smiled as she heard the news that Olamide Olayinka, elder brother to Major Festus Olayinka, had been killed in a shootout between him and the police.

Florence: “shey, you are in charge? Fool. You are even lucky. Your brother will not enjoy that privilege neither will his son or his whore.” She said to herself. Tonight she was going to kill.